The campaign to elect City Councilman Chokwe Lumumba as mayor announced several endorsements from key city leaders Friday morning in front of City Hall.
Among the endorsements Lumumba received were State Representatives Earl Banks and Jim Evans and District 5 Hinds County Supervisor Kenneth Stokes and his wife, Ward 3 City Councilwoman LaRita Cooper Stokes. Former mayoral candidate Regina Quinn, who endorsed Lumumba through a press release earlier this week, was there to back up her reasons for endorsing the one-term Ward 2 Councilman for mayor.
"I'm here to strongly endorse Chokwe Lumumba to be our next mayor," Quinn said, adding that she came to her decision after "serious thought." Quinn cited a past Clarion-Ledger story that revealed that women in Jackson were being paid, on average, 73 percent of their male counterparts were for the same job.
As she said in her press release, Quinn stated she thinks Lumumba is the only candidate who will take swift action to correct what she called a "sad situation" in terms of women's pay.
After Banks and Evans pledged their support for Lumumba, Kenneth Stokes, speaking on his behalf and for his wife, who was in Chicago on Friday, took an opportunity to defend his candidate against some of the attack ads launched by his opponent in the May 21 runoff, Jonathan Lee.
The ad shows Chokwe Lumumba making a speech on Feb. 13, 2009, at what looks like a book store, where the candidate talked openly about the police, religion and the Democratic Party. The ad uses Lumumba's own words to lead viewers to believe that Lumumba doesn't like police, isn't a "Barack Obama Democrat" and doesn't believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"(The accusations against Lumumba are) just nonsense coming out of evil people's mouths," Stokes said. "Chokwe has done more work with young people in this community, coaching basketball and mentoring them, showing them there's a better way to live. As Charles Tisdale would have said, Chokwe is a man among men. He's the type of leader who won't back down. This is Jack-town, and we need a man. I'll repeat it in case somebody didn't hear me - We need a man."
Lumumba has already said publicly that the clips from the video featured in the ad were taken out of context, that he has always supported the Jackson Police Department and that if voters watched the full video, they would see he wasn't implying what the ad infers.
Stokes finished his statement by saying he didn't intend to cuss, but that the Jackson Free Press "can kiss my ass!" He made this point with emphasis to a round of laughter from the assembled city leaders behind him. When asked after the press conference why he made the statement, Stokes said he said it because the JFP should have endorsed Lumumba, but did not elaborate more on the record. The Jackson Free Press has not endorsed a mayoral candidate for the runoff.
Lumumba concluded the press conference by thanking U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who has launched his own radio ad endorsing Lumumba for mayor and criticizing Lee's Republican support. Lumumba did not open the floor for questions.
Comments
bill_jackson 10 years, 11 months ago
This seems so completely out of character for Mr. Stokes. Sarcasm aside, this is a perfect representation of how most suburbanites view Jackson and Hinds County.
Duan 10 years, 11 months ago
Yep, that's Kenny Stokes for ya! yes indeed!
SAVANTE_STRING 10 years, 11 months ago
"The Jackson Free Press has not endorsed a mayoral candidate for the runoff"...... I think its very obvious who you guys support
tyler.cleveland 10 years, 11 months ago
We have not endorsed either candidate, and both are apparently unhappy with our coverage, so we must be doing something right.
donnaladd 10 years, 11 months ago
Yeah, both sides think we support the other one, and we've taken no position. I personally find high negatives on both sides, sadly.
AndGoodbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeee 10 years, 11 months ago
I'm not saying I know her reasoning, but backing Lumumba is a smart political move on Quinn's part. Looking at the numbers, Lee is certainly the favorite to win this election. If Quinn backs Lee now, it'll make running against him a lot more difficult in 4 years. Backing the loser, she can come around in 4 years and say, "I told you so," then run against the incumbent. Smart move.
donnaladd 10 years, 11 months ago
OR, it's more basic, and Quinn is pissed off at the Lee campaign for all the negative stories they pushed about her over recent months. For instance, they said for weeks that she had voted Republican (which she denies). Lee himself told the JFP that. It did not please her one little bit, http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/weblo...">as I blogged about here. (Scroll down for the part about Lee and Quinn.)
Just another possibility.
js1976 10 years, 11 months ago
Typical Kenny Stokes, and the poster child for the problems that plague Jackson politics! Voters keep recycling failed policians like Stokes and his right arm Lumumba.
It's high time for some new blood to step up!